Chapter 3: Tension and Accusations

For my mind, I dey calculate if make I refer her or just give her prescription. This kain one pass my regular mouth ulcer treatment.

Because this kind mouth ulcer no dey normal: one, the area dey big; two, e no dey pain; three, e don stay long.

I dey tap my biro on table, dey weigh my options. E get as e be, I no wan do trial and error for person pikin.

My mind dey run different options, but as I no get evidence—and since this one no be real emergency—I reason say make she just go see dental people tomorrow, make dem check am well. This one no be my field at all.

For my mind, I just dey beg God make e no be that kain wahala. I even whisper small, “God abeg, cover this girl with your hand.”

I even dey pity the girl small, but I no fit do pass my power. "Tomorrow, try waka go dental. Dem go fit check you better."

Na that time, the intern just talk anyhow, "This thing resemble that mouth ulcer wey that HIV patient get before."

The whole ER quiet for one second, even the fan stop turn. My heart do kpim. My mouth wan open, but I just bite tongue.

Cold sweat catch me. HIV—how you go just talk that kind thing for front of patient and her friend?

Intern just use careless mouth scatter ground. For Nigeria, that kain word na heavy accusation. Fear fit catch anybody.

But I no fit shout for the intern for their front, so I try calm things down: "E no mean say na HIV. Mouth ulcer get plenty cause—fit be fungal infection, viral infection, autoimmune wahala, and others."

I raise my hand gently, "No vex, my sister. E get different reasons why mouth fit wound like that. Sometimes e dey even come from stress or small infection. No be every time na big disease."

Of course, wetin I talk no really help calm them.

The fear wey enter the room thick like ogbono soup. Roommate even squeeze face, dey look intern like say she go fight. Patient just look me, her eyes wide, voice dey shake.

The patient face change sharp sharp, she talk back, voice strong: "How e go be HIV?"

She hiss small, "Abeg, make person no just dey call bad thing. My own na only ulcer, I no do anyhow." Her hands dey tremble as she hold her bag tight.

Her roommate join mouth too, say, "You fit chop anyhow, but you no fit talk anyhow! No dey use person destiny play! If na your own sister, you go talk like that? Doctor no suppose dey talk carelessly."

Roommate put hand for waist, even face the intern direct. "Abeg o! Na mouth you get, no be filter. You no dey fear God?" People for ER begin whisper, dey look our side. If I no handle am well, wahala fit burst.